sauer



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. W. SAUER.

VAULT COVER.

No. 436,639. Patented Sept. 16. 1890.

INVENTOH WITNESSES A TTORNEYS (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet :2. H. W. SAUER.

VAULT COVER. No. 436,639. Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

W/ TN 5 SSE 8 #w IN VE/V TOR A TTORNEYS UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY WV. SAUER, OF NFJV YORK, N. Y.

VAULT-COVER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,639, datedSeptember 16, 1890.

Application filed February 26, 1890. Serial No. 341,801. (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be itknown that I, HENRY W. SAUER, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and Improved Vault-Cover, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in vault-hole covers, and has forits object to provide a cover which cannot be entirely removed from theaperture it is designed to close, thus avoiding contingency of accidentto pedestrians, a further object being to provide means for supportingthe vault-hole cover above the aperture, when desired, for purposes ofventilating and the introduction of coal or other material into thevault below the cover.

To these ends my invention consists in certain features of constructionand combinations of parts, as ishereinafter described, and indicated inthe claims.

Referenceis to be made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical axial section of the device in preferred form,located above a vault, a portion of which is shown. Fig. 2 is anenlarged detached view of the device shown in Fig. 1 in verticalsection, taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan View of thecylindrical shell which forms a part of the device, enlarged anddetached. Fig. 4. is a portion of the vault-hole cover. Fig. 5 is across-section of part of the cover, taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the vault-cover and supportsfor the same that are secured toit, this being the preferred form ofsaid'device. Fig. 7 is an elevation, partly sectional, showing the shelland a cover with its supports, the latter being increased in number, onebeing broken off to show the connection of the leg behind it with theshell; and Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the shell and cover, thesupportinglegs of the latter being shown in dotted lines.

The lining thimble or shell A, that is inserted in the vault-hole, asshown in Fig. 1, is preferably made cylindrical in form, andis ofsuitable length to extend through the use of the device being to afforda protected inlet from the paved sidewalk of a thoroughfare or highwayto a vault below the same.

Upon the upper edge of the shell A a radial flange a is formed that isseated upon or embedded in the pavement and in turn receives the coverB, that is preferably made of metal and shaped as shown, the uppersurface being made convex to give strength and also cause it to deflectwater. The cover-B is furnished with a true lower face where it isimposed upon the face of the radial flange a, and may project beyondsaid flange to prevent the infiltration of water through the joint madebetween the edge of the flange and the adjacent pavement.

At spaced distances three or more limbs b are secured to the cover B andproject downwardly at right angles thereto in planes parallel to eachother. Said limbs b are of suitable length proportioned to the elevationto be given the cover, being flat straight bars of metal, which are eachnotched on corresponding edges in a manner to form depending toes cthereon,which are spaced at proper intervals to permit them to effecttheir purpose. The limbs 19 are located at an equal distance from thecenter of the cover l3, and are adapted to slide through the holes I)(see Fig. 3) in the flange a, their location being such with regard tothe shell A that they may freely traverse these rectangular orifices andlie adjacent to the inner surface of the shell.

To the lower ends of the limbs b atlat ring at is secured, which is thusheld parallel to the flange and in said flange proper-shapedperforations c are made near the rectangular orifices b, leaving barsstanding between each pair of holes 6 Z), said bars having a widthbetween these holes of proper propor tion to permit them to be readilyengaged by the hook-shaped toe portions on the limbs b when the toesproper enter the holes 6 made for their reception.

At points equally distant from the flange a keepers f are secured toloosely embrace the bodies of the limbs 12. These keepers being in theshape of rectangular loops have their end portions firmly attached tothe inner surface of the shell A, their width being proportional to thebreadth of the limbs, so that the latter may slide freely through themwhen properly adjusted to effect the same. It is preferred that thewidth between the side walls of the keepers f be so proportioned andthese pieces so located that when the toes c on the limbs 17 areinterlocked with the flange a there will be a similar engagement of toeslower down on the limbs with the edges of the keepers f, thusre-enforcing the upper supports for the cover B, and when the cover isclosed upon its seat there may be an interlocking engagement of the toesc with the keepers f, as shown in Fig. 1.

The handle-loops g are made in the form of integral rectangular loops orlinks, which are loosely secured to slide within mating perfov rationsin the cover B, grooves of proper depth being formed in the top surfaceof the same, which grooves or channels extend between the holes whereinthe handles slide, so

that the grip piece or bar of each handle g will lie in its groove andafford a level surface for the cover.

In Figs. 7 and 8 the same general form of construction is maintained,the change from the preferred form consisting in furnishing four limbs12 for the support of the cover B and a keeper f for each limb, therebeing a corresponding change made in the number and arrangement of thespaced orifices e b in the flange a, whereby the same results will besecured.

In use the cover B may be raised until the ring 01 engages the keepersf, when a lateral movement of the bars that will cause the hook-shapedtoes c to pass the side walls of the keepers and abut the edges of thelimbs on the inner surfaces of these keepers will-so locate thetoescthat the lid or coverBwill be held upwardly projected, as shown inFigs. 2 and 7, thus providing an opening below it into the shell A and.vault below for ventilation or introduction of material. A reversemovement of the cover B, after it has been lifted so as to clear thetoes c from their engagement with the flange a and keepers f, willpermit the cover to be lowered upon its seat.

It is claimed for this device that the danger cess to the vault forintroduction of coal or.

other material.

As ordinary vault-holes are of such a d1a metrical size as to requirethe complete removal of the cover for the passage through it of aman oreven a boy, it is apparent that if the cover is secured by the limbs 19to the shell A it will be a difficult feat to effect a feloniousentrance within the vault through the limited space between two of thelimbs and beneath the cover, so that it is a safeguard from burglary aswell as a protection to public travel.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. v The combination, with a cylindrical shell and acover that may be seated on a radial flange of the shell, of spaceddepending limbs, each having a series of spaced locking-toes oncorresponding edges,whichtoesare adapted to interlock with holes in theradial flange of the shell, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a cylindrical shell, a cover therefor adaptedto be seated on a radial flange of the shell, and spaced limbs securedto the cover and depending therefrom, each limb provided with matingseries of locking-toes adapted to enter holes'in the radial flange andsupport the cover, of a keeper for each limb, secured to the shell sothat the toes of the limbs may engage their edges, and a flat ringattached to the lower ends of the limbs, substantially as set forth.

HENRY W. SAUER.

\Vitnesses: EDGAR TATE, C. SEDGWIOK.

